DRIVING
TECHNOLOGY FORWARD IN THE CITY
THE
INFORMATION Technology Directorate of eThekwini Municipality plays a critical
role in shaping the City’s digital future. Its mandate focuses on developing
and promoting an Information Communications Technology (ITC) vision that
addresses current challenges while enabling long-term growth. Highlighting the
technological goals made by the directorate is eThekwini’s Five-Year Service
Delivery Milestones campaign being rolled out under the theme: Asimile
Siyaqhuba: Resilience Through Adversity. The campaign highlights transformative
efforts that have shaped service delivery during the 2021 to 2026 term of
office.
Key
strategic priorities include building a paperless environment, ensuring secure
and integrated data management, and strengthening reliable ICT infrastructure,
including cloud solutions. A central focus of the directorate is the use of
Geographic Information Systems, which helps address issues and supports the
vision of transforming eThekwini into a modern digital hub for future
generations. The Public Wi-Fi Programme forms a central pillar of the City’s
Digital Inclusion Strategy and Smart City agenda being driven by the
Information Technology Directorate. Director of the Information Technology
Directorate Robert Dlamini said over the past five financial years, the Public
Wi Fi Programme has significantly expanded equitable internet access across
municipal wards. The eThekwini Public Wi-Fi Programme has delivered measurable,
city-wide digital inclusion progress. With 75 percent of the strategic target
achieved and 98 percent ward-level reach established, the programme remains a
critical enabler of social equity, economic participation, and digital
transformation within the City.
Strategic Target
The
approved long-term strategic target for the programme is 750 public Wi-Fi Sites
across the Municipality. This target aligns with a minimum of three sites per
municipal ward, the deployment within high-footfall public facilities,
prioritisation of underserved and previously disadvantaged communities and the
expansion of affordable digital access across all 110 wards.
Infrastructure Growth
and Progress
Currently
565 active Public Wi-Fi Sites have been installed (cumulative to date). Dlamini
said this represents substantial progress toward universal ward level coverage
and positions the Municipality as a leading implementer of municipal digital
infrastructure within the province.
Expanding Digital
Infrastructure
To
date, the Municipality has installed 1 633 enterprise grade Wi-Fi access points
across both indoor and outdoor environments. These access points are
strategically deployed in high-demand areas to support reliable, high-capacity
connectivity for residents and visitors alike.
Accessible Community
Connectivity
Public
Wi-Fi has been deployed at key locations that support daily life and economic
activity, including:
·
Municipal
libraries
·
Sizakala
Centres
·
Clinics
and healthcare facilities
·
Schools
and community halls
·
Sports
grounds and public parks
·
Tourism
hubs such as beachfront areas
·
Market
precincts and transport nodes
·
Key
economic corridors, including Florida Road.
Empowering Residents
Through Free Access
A
key feature of the programme is its free data allocation model, which provides
2GB of free data per user per day, accessible through a secure
self-registration portal. This approach ensures fair and consistent access
while maintaining sustainability. The Wi-Fi Programme continues to experience
strong uptake and usage with over 446 000 registered users to date. There are
between 24 000 and 26 000 daily connections and around 2 000 concurrent users
during peak periods. These milestones highlight the Municipality’s ongoing
efforts to expand digital inclusion.
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